Heel lasting machines



36 J. E. WALSH 2,730fi3i3 I HEEL LASTING MACHINES Filed Aug. s, 1953 "7 Sheets-Sheet 1 [mm m MW Jo/m Wald/z AAJAizW/Zg' Jan. 17, 1956 J. E. WALSH HEEL LASTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3. 1953 Jan. 17, 1956 J. E. WALSH J HEEL. LASTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 3, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 /Z ll M fm/ent0r' John 1?. l/l/als/z Qy hasAzfomgy Jan. 17, 1956 E, WALSH HEEL LASTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 O a .IIIIIZ Jam. W, 1956 J. E. WALSH HEEL LASTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 1955 0 7 00 0 2 4 79 M 0 3 2 WW 2% M y kfifi i 4 M 2 17 11 77 1 7 Shgets-Sheet 6 Jan. 17, J. E WALSH HEEL LASTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 ohn E. Wd/J/Z Zjy his Afforrzei' Patented Jan. iv, was

near LASTING MACHINES John E. Walsh, Beverly, Mass assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 3, H53, Serial No. 371,869 4 Claims. (c1. 12-105) This invention relates to machines for shaping the uppers of shoes, and more particularly to machines for lasting the heel ends of shoes. Although the invention is accordingly herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for lasting the heel end of an upper mounted on a last, it is to be understood that the invention in several aspects is not limited in utility to a machine of the construction herein illustrated by may well have application to other lasting machines and to lasting operations on other portions of footwear. h p p A shoe when worn will normally appear considerably more attractive if the margin of the upper surrounding the foot opening of the shoe fits snugly and neatly to the ankle portion of the foot of the wearer of the shoe. It sometimes happens, however, that the upper in that location is rolled outwardly so that it does not fit the foot of the wearer but rather gapes, frequently exposing the lining of the shoe at the heel end. In order to avoid this it is essential that the heel end of the shoe will have been lasted in a manner to bring the margin of the upper around the heel end into close conformityto the heel end of the last on which the shoe was constructed. Consider able cfiort has been expended to assure that shoes, even when well worn, will retain the form fitting qualities originally imparted to them by the heel and other poi tions of lasts. An object of this invention is to provide a novel organization for lasting the heel ends of shoes by the use of which improved form fitting characteristics may be readily and more permanently imparted to the uppers.

In accordance with the object just stated, and to other ends, a feature of this invention resides in the provision in a lasting machine of the combination with means for supporting a shoe on a last and means for clamping" the upper against the heel end of the last, of a pair of grippers for differentially tensioning heightwise an inner and outer layer of the upper adjacent to the heel breast line, and wipers for wiping the differentially tensio'ned upper inwardly over the heelseat. Another feature of the invention consists more specifically in the provision in a last ing machine of a pair of relatively movable jaws for respectively engaging the marginal stock or an inner and an outer layer of a multi-ply upper, means for moving said jaws in unison heightwise of the shoe to tension the upper with predetermined force at least sufficient to remove any wrinkle in the several plies, and means holding when the same straining force is applied and,further,1 that the additional final tensioning of an inmost ply will better assure that the upper thus strained will tend more closely to hug the last, any residual tendency fonan upper to curl away from the ankle opening being thereby over come.

In the heel lasting'tiiachirie'slidwii, fiuid pr ssdre dprated means control most of the mentioned shoe engaging instrumentalities. The wipers and shoe supporting members are, however, manually operated and are essentially of the sameconstruction and arrangement as the corresponding parts of the machine fully disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,018,477, granted February 27, 1912 upon an application of Matthias Brock, such machines being commonly referred to as bed lasting machines. As is usual in machines of the above-mentioned type, a shoe to be lasted is positioned bottom up with its toe on a toe rest and its last mounted on a last pin. In the illustrated machine, however, and in accordance with various novel features of the present invention, as soon as the shoe is moved into an appropriate heightwise and lengthwise position relatively to a rather narrow heel band, the operator may apply fluid pressure to actuate pistons for causing oppositely disposed side clamping pads to bear on the margin of the upper adjacent to the ankle opening oi the shoe. With the heel end of the upper thus held in. close conformity to the heel end or" the last the operator may apply fluid pressure to move a gripper-carrying head of the machine from an out-of-the-way and inoperative position to an operative position in which two pairs of grippers are vertically supported approximately one at each side of the heel breast line of the shoe and at a height such that its multi-ply upper is received by each gripper between its above-mentioned gripper jaws. The arrangement of the machine shown is further such that, in addi tion to moving each of these pairs of jaws lteightwise of the shoe to tension the lasting margin by fluid pressure operated means provision is made for moving both grip: pers about their vertical axes by fluid pressure operated means thereby causing the tensioned stock to be maintained in snug relation to the inturned sides at the heel breast area of the last.

t In accordance with another feature of the invention, the herein illustrated gripper mechanism comprises convenient electrical control means for adjustably prede'tere mining the relatively light lasting pull with which each pair of cooperative grjipper jaws is initially to be moved heightwise in unison to tension the outer and inner plies of the upper. To this end solenoid-operated detents are provided to cooperate with the respective jaws engaging the outer ply, For energizing the solenoids to lock these jaws by means of the detents and thus hold the outer ply u nder predetermined tension, calibrated micro-switches are respectively causedto establishline contacts with said solenoids upon movement of spring plungers respectively responsive to the fluid pressure being exerted in the operation of the gripper mechanism. Thereafter, the inner ply or lining will, in accordance with the invention, be further tensioned by added independent heightwise movement of the jaw engaging it, a pressure regulator valve governing such further pull. the grippers may be caused simultaneously to release thetensioned upper at any time during, or prior to, the inward wiping movement of the wipers by means of solenoids respectively arranged to operate trips on said grippers, a switch button for controlling energization of these solenoids being mounted on a wiper operating hand lever.

The above and other features of the invention, including novel details and arrangements of parts, will now be described with more particularity in connection with an illustrated machine in which the invention is embodied and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which V Fig. l i's a p erspectivelview' of the upper portions of a'" heel lasting machine illustrativeof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view in ajvertical plane extending longitudinally of a portion of'the'niachine shown in Fig.

Conveniently,

the coil spring, into sole engaging position.

. 3 1 and having a shoe mounted in position to be operated upon;

Fig. 3 is mainly a plan view of the structure shown 'in Fig. 1 with parts in section;

. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of a gripper and associated operating parts as seen when looking in a heelward direction;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of wipers and a heel band with associated operating parts;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views of a gripper illustrating different successive positions of parts operating on a multi-ply upper, the latter being somewhat exaggerated for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of the fluid pressure system for actuating the several shoe engaging instrumentalities; and Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of electrical controls with which the machine is provided.

For purposes of this invention it will be understood that the margins M (Fig. 2) of a multi-ply upper of a shoe which are to be lasted, for example, on the heel end of a last having an insole I mounted thereon, may be secured with metallic fastenings, cement, or both. For inserting the metallic fastenings, if desired, the machine is provided with a removable hand tacking tool 12 (Fig. 1). A pair of wipers 14, 14 and shoe supporting means comprising a treadle-controlled toe rest 16 and a heel rest spindle 18 may be presumed to be constructed and actuated in the machine substantially as fully described in the above-cited Brock patent, or in any other suitable manner. By means of a hand Wheel 20 (Fig. 1) the heel rest spindle 18 may accordinglybe positioned lengthwise of the machine to carryv a last with a shoe thereon heelwardly until its heel end centrally engages (as shown in Fig. 5) a heel band 22 of suitably flexible material such as leather. The heel band is assembled in a conventional manner with a link chain 24 (Fig. 5) and a holder 26 only partly shown in Fig. 2, the assembly being mounted on a bracket 28 slidably supported by a guide rod 30 that is mounted in the machine frame 32. On being engaged by the shoe the heel band yields heelwardly to the extent adjustably determined by a stop screw 34 (Fig. 2) threaded in a bearing member 36 mounted on the frame, the band tending to wrap itself about the upper in the area adjacent to the insole. An end of the screw 34 extends in a recess in the bracket to hold the latter upright. Though not herein shown, it will be understood that means, for example as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent, is provided for relatively adjusting the spindle 18 heightwise so that the insole I will be supported at substantially the same level as the top of the band 22 and the wiping surface of the wipers 14, 14.

For pressing the sides of the upper against the last in the area .adjacent to the shoe opening, a pair of oppositely disposed pads 40, 40 (Figs. 1 and 2) is provided, each being supported on the upper end of a bell crank lever 42, 42 fulcrumed on a post 44 with which the spindle 18 is integral. The pads 40 cooperate with the heel band 22 in conforming the heel portion of the upper to the contour of the heel end of the last when fluid pressure operated means is actuated as will later be described. In order fixedly to hold the last on the spindle 18 during heightwise tensioning of the stock to be lasted a holddown 46 (Figs. 2 and 5) is mounted on the frame 32 for turning movement about a horizontal transverse axis. A coil spring 48 (Fig. 5) connected to the holddown normally tends to turn it clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 2) and away from shoe engaging position, but a locking lever 50 pivotally mounted on the frame has a latching arm 52 arranged to nest in a notch formed in the holddown when the latter is manually moved, against the influence of A spring pressed plunger 54 seated in the frame 32 bears on the lever 50 tending to maintain it in locking engagement with the holddown. If the operator desires toreleas the shoe from the machine at any time as, for example, after tensioning of the upper and when the wipers are to be moved inwardly over the shoe bottom, a handlever 56 (Figs. 2 and 5) connected to the lower end of the lever 50 may be moved to withdraw the arm 52 from its notch thus permitting the spring 48 to raise the holddown from the shoe bottom to clear it for further inward wiping movements.

The wipers 14, 14, as disclosed in said Brock patent, are mounted on plate carriers 60 having pin-and-slot connections for guiding them in sliding movements by links 62 (one only shown in Fig. 2). The latter are connected for equalizing movement by a pin 64 and are actuated by a slide rod 66 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5). A lever 68 pivotally connected to the rod 66 is fulcrumed on a link 70 attached to a fixed part of the machine and is adapted to be actuated manually for advancing and closing the Wipers over the shoe bottom at the heel end. Closing movement is effected against the resistance of a return spring 72. An electric switch button 74 (Figs. 1 and 3) mounted on the lever 68 provides a convenient gripper control as will later be explained.

A gripper carrying head generally designated 80 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) comprises a frame 82 provided on opposite sides with two pairs of rollers 84 (Fig. 3) adapted to rotate on longitudinally extending Ways 86, 86 that are supported by the machine frame 32. A C-shaped channel bracket 88 (Figs. 2 and 3) bolted to the frame 82 extends widthwise of the shoe and receives the similarly flanged ends of a pair of confronting semi-cylindrical bearing shells 90 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) on which vertically extendingstandards 92, 92 for supporting gripper operating mechanism to be described are mounted. A bolt 94 is threaded through the frame 82 and the bracket 88 to engage endwise each of the bearing shells 90 and thus determines the selected widthwise position of the gripper mechanism therein with respect to a jacked shoe. For

- moving the head 80 toward and from the shoe a cylinder 96 affixed to the main frame 32 is fitted with a piston (Fig. 10) that is actuated by flluid pressure controlled by an operator to reciprocate a piston rod 98 connected to the frame 82. A stop screw 100 (Fig. 3) adjustably threaded through a bore formed in a way 86 normally limits toeward movement of the head by engagement with an end of a bell-crank lever 102 fulcrumed thereon. The latter may be swung to avoid the screw by depressing an end 104 of the lever 102 thereby enabling the frame 82 with the grippers to operate more toewardly when so desired. The limit of heelward movement of the head 80 is adjustably determined by a stop screw 106 threaded into a projection of the other way 86.

Since both of the grippers, together with their mounting and actuating mechanisms, are similar in construction, it will suffice in this respect ifdescription is limited to one gripper unit and its associated parts. Each shell 90 extends between parallel, horizontal flanges of a standard 92 and is provided Wtih a lug 110 through which a stop screw 112 is threaded adjustably to limit turning movement in one direction of a standard and a gripper about a vertical axis, the screw being engageable endwise with a projection 114 of a standard 92. A screw 116 (Fig. 3) adjustably threaded into the frame 82 similarly limits turning movement of the standard in the opposite direction. fluid pressureunder control of an operator, a cylinder 118 (Figs. 1, 3 and 10) fast on the frame 82 is fitted with a piston and a piston rod 120 pivotally connected to the standard 92 by means of a pin 122. Referring to Fig. 4 the gripper operating means comprises a cylinder 124 having a vertical piston rod 126, the cylinder 124 being secured to the upper end of the standard. The lower end of the rod 126 carries a pin 128 which is received at opposite ends by a pair of lugs 130 integral with a fluid coupling in the formv of a cylindrical housing 132, the

For effecting the turning between limits, by.

F O latter being fitted with a piston 133 (Figs. 4 and and a piston rod 134. The rod 134 carries at its lower end a pin 136 (Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 7) extending through vertical slots 138, 138 formed in the opposite sides of a slide 140 having a generally U-shaped cross section. A lever 142, pivotally supported intermediate its ends by a pin 143 fixed in the lower end of the slide 140, is formed at its lower end with a pronged jaw 144 adapted to engage an inner ply or lining of upper stock to be tensioned. For cooperating with the jaw 144 a pronged jaw 146 adapted to engage the outer ply of the upper stock is atlixcd to the lower end of a member 148 having a generally U-shaped cross section in which the slide 140 is nested. The member 14% is provided with a cover plate 149 (Figs. 2 and 3) and the thus enclosed gripper mechanism is slidably nested in the bottom flange of the standard 92 so that the mechanism and the standard jointly turn about a vertical axis. For pivotally moving the jaw 144 relatively to the jaw 1% the upper end of the lever 142 is provided with upper and lower cam surfaces 150, 152 respectively extending between a roller 154 and the cylindrical portion 156 or a release 53. Both the roller 154 and the portion are carried by a Ushaped jaw operating piece 16% that is arranged to slide vertically within the slide 149 as controlled by an actuator 162 also slidably mounted therein for vertical movement. The upper end of the latter serves to retain a compression spring 164 which, at its lower end, abuts a flat projection 166 afiixed in the slide The lower end portion of the actuator 162 is grooved to retain a stop plate 167 and pivotally supports a hell crank lever 168 formed with a jaw tripping arm and a jaw closing arm 172. A spring-pressed plunger 69 seated in the lever 163 yieldably positions the latter by bearing upon the plate 167 and urging the lever 1113 counterclockwise (as viewed in Figs. 6, 7 and S) for contact with the release 153.

When the jaws are in their normal open position, as shown in Fig. 6, the pin 1% is in engagement with the top of the acttator 1&2. ll tension is to be exerted upon an upper the operator will admit fluid pressure to the cylinder 12 i to raise the piston rod 126 and the fluid coupling housing and thus transmit an upward pulling force on the piston rod 134- and the pin 136. As the latter is moved upwardly in the slots 13% the spring 3.54 expands to lift the actuator 162 relatively to the slide i/lll. As a consequence the jaw closing arm 172 of the lever res engages a shoulder 174 formed on the jaw operating piece to move it upwardly and thus causes the roller progr sively to engage the cam surface 152 thereby swinging the lever yieldingly to closethe jaw 1-4-4- on the inner ply or lining of the upper stock as indicated in Fig.

The grippers, having firmly seized the oppositely disposed lasting margins of the upper adjacent to the heel breast line, move upwardly together. The member 1% carrying the jaw 146 is caused to move heightwise with the slide lad initially to tension in unison with the jaw 14d. This is effected by the pull of the jaw 144 being transmitted through the gripped portion of the upper to the jaw 1%. The pin 1% continues upwardly to raise the jaws in unison, being urged upwardly against the top of the slots by the pressure of the fluid Within the coupling housing 13;. acting on the under side of its piston 133. This pressure increases as the housing is pulled up-- wardly by m ans of the aforementioned fluid pressure in the cylinder while further upward movement of the piston rod l is increa 'ngly resisted by the upper stock being tensioned. A reservoir 181 (Fig. 1) in communication with the housing serves to supply the latter beneath its piston with ample fluid. A stabilizing or re turn spring 183 connects the housing 132 with the member Means is provided for automatically limiting the pulling force required in lightly tensioning, the upper during the united pulling action of the jaws. For this purpose the housing 132 (Figs. 1 and 11) is connected to appropriate pressure responsive means mounted to move heightwise with it. A bellows 176 (Fig. 11) acting on a spring pressed plunger 178 is thus arranged to actuate a micro switch 18% (Figs. 1 and 11). The latter is calibrated, an indicator and a scale 182 preferably showing the maximum fluid pressure desired to be exerted during this stage of upper tensioning. When the switch 180 is actuated by the plunger 1'73 responding to the predetermined pressure to establish contact between the lines L and L of an electric circuit, a solenoid 184 (Figs. 1 and 11) is energized to actuate its plunger 186 and thereby pivot a bell-crank lever 188 fulcrumed on a pin extending from the standard 92. The result is that biased teeth 1% formed on a depending end of the lever 188 are urged into engagement with the teeth of a detent 192 secured to the member 14-3 thereby preventing further movement upwardly of the fixed jaw 14-6 and maintaining the outer ply of the upper under the strain of the predetermined pulling force. The pivotal locking movement of the lever 183 is effected against the resistance of a return spring 1% connecting an end of that lever with the standard 92.

Continued upward movement of the jaw 144 independently of the jaw 146, further and finally to tension the inmost ply of the upper, is accomplished by the fluid pressure operating in the cylinder 124 as permitted by a pressure regulating valve (Fig. 10) in the supply line 200 and as controlled by a valve 262 that is in part manually operated. Such rnovement of the jaw 1 14 is positively limited by an adjustable stop in the form of a screw 234 (Fig. 4) threaded into a block 2% and extending lengthwise in a vertical slot 2% (Fig. 4) formed therein. The block 2% is secured by screws to the member 148. A stop screw 21d carried by the slide is arranged to extend transversely of the slot 2% for engagement with the lower end of the screw 204. Care is taken to adjust the screw 2M heightwise relatively to the screw 210 so that the stretch finally imparted to the material of the inner ply will not tear or otherwise damage it.

With the heel end of the upper conforming to the contour of the heel end of the last and the plies of the lasting margins at the heel breast area differentially tensioned heightwise, an operator will actuate a hand lever 222'; (Fig. 10), hereinafter referred to, to cause the heel band 22 to cooperate with the pads 4b in preventing the upper from being pulled too low on its last. Next the operator will actuate the hand lever 68 to move the wipers 14, 14 inwardly and just over the edge of the heel end of the insole 1. He may then pull the lever 56 to release the holddown 46 from the insole I, the shoe bottom now being held against the tension of the grippers by its engagement with the wiping surfaces of the wipers. The hand lever 68 may now again be moved to cause further inward wiping movement and, as this is done, the operator may simultaneously release the upper from control of the grippers to that of the wipers by depressing the switch button 74. As indicated in Fig. 11, the depressed switch 74 energizes a solenoid 212 (Figs. 1 and 11) by which a solenoid plunger 21 i is actuated to pivot a bell crank lever Z16 (Figs. 1, 3 and 11) fulcrumed on the standard 92. A pin 218 ailixed to the lower end of the lever 216 is engageable with a cam surface formed on the tripping arm 17%. Thus the energized solenoid 212 is effective to pivot the arm 17b relatively to the piece suliiciently to unlatch the jaw closing arm 172 from the shoulder 17d and permits the piece 16 to be moved downwardly under the influence of a pair of spring plungers 220, 22th (Fig. 9) seated in vertical bores formed in the actuator 16?... The portion 156 accordingly bears down on. the surface 15% of the lever 142 to pivot it counterclockwise as seen in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 and thus releases the upper from the jaws 144. For releasing the jaws 146 at this same time from locking relation with the teeth 1%, depression of the button 74 also functions as explained hereinafter. It

. 7 will be understood that after the completion of the inward wiping movement of the wipers is the normal time for using the hand tacking tool 12 or other means for securing the lasted upper to the insole, assuming the upper is not to be adhesively secured.

As noted in Fig. 10, the supply line 200 connects a source of fluid pressure with a series of manually operated valves controlled respectively by levers 222, 224, 226, 228 and 230 (only one (222) shown in Fig. 1) arranged to govern the several operating mechanisms, the pressure effective to operate each mechanism being suitably adjusted by a pressure regulating valve 232. Thus the lever 230 is moved to actuate the rod 98 whereby the frame 82 carries the grippers to and from operative position. For clamping the upper against the sides of the last before tensioning commences, the lever 222 will be moved to admit pressure to a cylinder 223 (Figs. 1 and 2) formed in the post 44 and provided with oppositely disposed pistons 234, 234. The latter are thereby forced apart against the resistance of return springs 236, and piston rods 233, 238 respectively, connected to the pistons 234 accordingly pivot the levers 42 to bring the pads 46, 40 into shoe clamping positions. For tightening the wrapping effect of the heel band 22 around the heel end of the upper the lever 228 is moved to admit pressure to cylinders 249,

V 240 (Figs. 1 and respectively mounted for pivotal movement adjacent to the forward ends of the heel band assembly on an arm 242 adjustably fixed in a guideway formed in the frame 82. In admitting fluid pressure to the cylinder 240 a piston 244 is displaced against the resistance of a return spring 246 (Fig. 1) to move a piston rod 248 and the heel band end attached thereto inwardly against the shoe. The lever 224 is moved against resistance of a return spring 225 (Fig. 10) to admit pressure to both gripper operating cylinders 124 (Figs. 1, 4 and 10), their respective pistons 125 (Fig. 10) and piston rods 126 being thus urged upwardly to tension an upper as described. Reversal of the pistons 125 and rods 126 to lower the grippers to their starting positions and free the jaws 146 is effected by the depressing of the button 74. A solenoid 247 (Fig. 11) is thus energized to shift a solenoid plunger 249 (Figs. 10 and ll) which, with the influ-' ence of the spring 225, changes the position of the valve controlled by the lever 224 and accordingly applies fluid pressure to force the pistons 125 and piston rods 126 downwardly. The normal lower limit of this movement of the gripper unit is adjustably determined by a vertical stop screw 250 (Figs. 1 and 4) threaded through a flange on the member 148 and arranged to engage a horizontal flange of the standard 92. The lever 226 is moved from its inoperative position simultaneously to shift the piston rods 120 toward the shoe in order to cause the flanged bases of the standards 92 respectively to pivot the grippers and thereby hold the tensioned upper in snug relation to the inturned sides of the last in its heel breast area.

Operation of themachine will now be briefly reviewed, the heel lasting procedure in general probably being quite clear from what has been said above. forepart of a shoe (preferably one having an unflanged counter) with one hand, an operator will mount it on the spindle 18 and the toe rest 16, and with his other hand turn the wheel 20 to move the heel end of the shoe against the heel band 22 as far as the stop screw 34 permits. He then moves the holddown 46 into shoe bottom engaging position where it is releasably locked by the latching arm 52. Next the heel pads 40, 48 are brought into upper clamping relation by actuation of the control lever 222. Shifting of the lever 23% causes the machine head 80 to carry the grippers toward the shoe to a position determined by the screw 1% and substantially such that the pairs of gripper jaws 144, 146 will be above the shoe in a location at the junction of'the shank and heel end portions of the shoe bottom. The lasting margins M in this area may then extend upwardly between the open jaws as indicated in Fig. 2.

Having seized the pers by the means above described.

Heightwise tensioning of the stock to be lasted is effected, in its first stage, by movement of the lever 224 against resistance of its return spring 225 (Fig. 10) to admit fluid pressure to the cylinder 124. The coupling housing 132 is consequently lifted by the piston rod 126, the liquid confined beneath the piston 133 being subjected to increasing pressure. As the piston rod 134 is thus caused to be raised, the pin 136 is lifted and the spring 164 is permitted to expand to raise the actuator 162 and the bell crank lever 168 from their positions shown in Fi g. 6. The arm 172 thereupon engages with and latches onto the shoulder 174 to move the piece upwardly and the roller 154 engages the cam surface 152 to close the jaw 144 on the inner ply of the margin M. As soon as the margin is thus seized by the pronged jaws 144, 146, the heightwise tensioning force being exerted via the pin 136 and the slide 140 to the jaw 144 is transmitted through the marginal upper material to raise the jaw 146 and the member 148 to which it is afiixed. Upward movement of the jaws 144, 146 in unison tensions the upper moderately at least until its plies are taut and then until it resists with a force equal to that for which the calibrated microswitch has been adjusted as shown by the scale 182. The bellows 176 and the plunger 178 react automatically to the predetermined fluid pressure built up in the housing 132 to energize the solenoid 134 and actuate the teeth into holding engagement with the detent 192. The jaw 146 is thus fixed heightwise and consequently the outer ply of the upper is maintained under the predetermined tension. Optionally, the grippers may at this point be pivoted about their vertical axes, respectively, by moving the lever 226 to admit pressure to the cylinders 118 thereby pulling the upper closely to the inwardly curved insole edges of the heel breast area. The preferred pivotal axis of each gripper, by reason of its eccentric mounting in the shell 91' is that passing through its vertical heelward edges.

In the second stage of the upper tensioning the pin 136 continues to exert upward force on the slide 140, and the jaw 144 alone is accordingly further moved heightwise to stretch the inner ply of the upper by an amount adjustably determined by the position of the lower end of the stop screw 204 in relation to the screw 210. It is this further and final tensioning of the lining or inner ply of the upper while it is held in snug conforming relation to the heel end of the last that is relied upon to give to the lasted upper a strong, enduring tendency to hold the shape to which it has been molded. Accordingly, it is intended that the outer ply of the upper will not have been subjected to such tension as might, by its residual effect, cause the reverse tendency to curl the upper away from the foot opening of the shoe. When the jaw 144 is not to tension further heightwise, the heel band 22 is forced into tighter clamping relation with the last adjacent to its bottom edge by actuating the lever 228. Upon moving the hand lever 68 to bring the wipers 14, 14 inwardly and just over the insole edge, the operator may clear the way for completing the inward wiping of the differentially tensionsd upper over the heel end by pulling on the lever 56 to permit the holddown 46 to be raised by the spring 48.

During, or prior to, completion of the inward wiping movement of the wipers, the switch button 74 may be depressed to release the tensioned upper from the grip- In order to clear the shoe bottom for securing the overlasted and differentially tensioned upper to the insole by tacking or otherwise, the lever 230 is now returned to its starting position and fluid pressure is thus caused reversely to move the piston rod 98 to carry the head 84] to itsinoperative position- The heel lasting operation having been completed, the shoe is released for removal from the machine by returning the lever 68 to retract the Wipers and by then returning the levers 228 and 222, respectively, to free the shoe from the heel band 22 and the pads 40.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for lasting shoes, the combination with wipers movable to wipe the lasting margin of upper materials inwardly over an insole on the heel end of a last, of a pair of grippers for seizing the upper materials on the opposite sides of the last adjacent to the heel breast line thereof, and for tensioning the upper materials heightwise of the last, prior to the operation of said wipers, each of said grippers including a jaw for engaging an outer layer of said upper materials and a jaw for engaging an inner layer of said upper materials, means for operating the jaws of each gripper in a predetermined sequence, first to tension the outer and inner layers of the upper materials and then, while maintaining the outer layer of the upper materials under tension, to apply an additional pull on the inner layer of said upper materials, and means for clamping the upper materials against the opposite sides of the last, in the zone of action of said grippers and adjacent to the foot opening of the upper prior to the operation of the grippers.

2. In a machine for lasting shoes, the combination with means for lasting the upper materials of a shoe over the heel end of a last including a heel band for pressing the upper materials against the heel end of the last and wipers for thereafter wiping the lasting margin of the upper materials inwardly over the heel end of an insole on the last, of a pair of grippers for seizing the upper materials on the opposite sides of the last adjacent to the heel breast line thereof, and for tensioning the upper materials heightwise of the last, prior to the operation of said wipers, each. of said grippers including a jaw for engaging an outer layer of said upper materials and a jaw for engaging an inner layer of said upper materials, means for operating the jaws of each gripper in a predetermined sequence, first to tension the outer and inner layers of the upper materials and then while maintaining the outer layer of the upper materials under tension, to apply an additional pull on the inner layer of said upper materials, and means for clamping the upper materials against the opposite sides of the last, in the zone of action of said grippers and adjacent to the foot opening of the upper prior to the operation of the grippers.

3. In a machine for lasting shoes, the combination with wipers movable to wipe the lasting margin of the upper materials of a shoe inwardly over the heel end of an insole on the last, of a pair of grippers for seizing the upper materials on the opposite sides of the last adjacent to the heel breast line thereof, and for tensioning the upper materials heightwise of the last prior to the operation of said wipers, each of said grippers including a jaw for engaging an outer layer of the upper materials and a jaw for engaging an inner layer of the upper materials, fluid pressure means for operating the jaws of each gripper in a predetermined sequence, first to move the jaws in unison to tension both the inner and outer layers of the upper materials and then, while holding the jaw which engages the outer layer of the upper 'materials stationary to maintain said layer under tesnion, to continue the movement of the other jaw to apply an additional pull on the inner layer of said upper materials, and means for clamping the upper materials against the opposite sides of the last in the zone of action of said grippers and adjacent to the foot opening of the upper prior to the operation of the grippers.

4. In a lasting machine having wipers movable to wipe the lasting margin of upper materials inwardly over the bottom of a shoe on a last, a pair of grippers for seizing and tensioning heightwise the upper materials on the 0pposite sides of the last prior to the operation of said wipers, each of said grippers having a pair of cooperative jaws one of which is movable relatively to the other, a lever for controlling the wiping movements of the wipers, means including an electric circuit for actuating said movable jaw to release the tensioned upper materials, and an operator controlled switch in said circuit associated with said lever for actuating said means at the discretion of the operator prior to or during the wiper operating movement to transfer control of the tensioned upper materials from said grippers to said wipers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,014,835 McFeely Jan. 16, 1912 1,015,388 Mayo Jan. 23, 1912 1,197,438 Brock Sept. 5, 1916 1,475,972 Stiggins Dec. 4, 1923 1,721,736 Jorgensen July 23, 1929 2,028,248 Roberts Jan. 21, 1936 2,057,030 Jorgensen Oct. 13, 1936 2,225,639 Keall et a1 Dec. 24, 1940 2,337,085 Cummings Dec. 21, 1943 2,454,876 Lawson Nov. 30, 1948 2,614,275 Jorgensen Oct. 21, 1952 

